With Hrbaty in the SFs he has to feel he has a good chance to at least make the finals - and perhaps even win it and unseat Blake.

He seems to be relishing the challenge where players like Ancic, Blake and Baghdatis shrank from it.

And Marat - well he's still not able to come through these big matches in spite of his better play at the back end of the season - when he comes up against serious opposition he's still tending to crumble at the end :(

henree

11-03-2006, 08:53 PM

Damn you Safin. How could you lose to a mediocre journeyman like Haas.:o

scoobs

11-03-2006, 08:54 PM

Tommy wins 76 36 63 and keeps his Shangai hopes alive.

With Hrbaty in the SFs he has to feel he has a good chance to at least make the finals - and perhaps even win it and unseat Blake.

He seems to be relishing the challenge where players like Ancic, Blake and Baghdatis shrank from it.

And Marat - well he's still not able to come through these big matches in spite of his better play at the back end of the season - when he comes up against serious opposition he's still tending to crumble at the end :(

Wannabeknowitall

11-03-2006, 08:54 PM

Yey!!!
He couldn't ask for a better matchup in the semis or the finals of a Masters Series Event.
The odds have turned to favor Haas.
Blake will be biting his nails for the next couple of days.

TMJordan

11-03-2006, 08:55 PM

:sad:

But Tommy is no meidocre journeyman, you are way off with that, he has had a great year and I think he will win this and goto Shanghai.

Please dont ever call him a journeyman every again.

r2473

11-03-2006, 08:55 PM

Tight match. One break each. What happened in the tiebreak? I see Tommy won at 1????

Exodus

11-03-2006, 08:55 PM

haas played a very good match. marat sucked in the 1st set TB and his FH was awful

Ernham

11-03-2006, 08:55 PM

My predictions get closer and closer. Originally i predicted davy would win it and Gasquet would probably be the other guy in the final. But after the gasquet injury, I switched to Haas. Hah. Well, I hope Haas wins. He's had the most difficult draw so far and he is still alive and kicking.

TommyB.

11-03-2006, 08:56 PM

Well done Tommy!! :)

Exodus

11-03-2006, 08:57 PM

davy should win this now

Naranoc

11-03-2006, 08:57 PM

Safin's body language in the 3rd set was all wrong - muttering to himself, shaking his head etc... (All MTF's fault for giving the consensus that he would win!) The cycle of him winning Paris every 2 years has been broken - damn.

Still, congratulations to Haas, and here's hoping he makes it to the finals at least :yeah:

shotgun

11-03-2006, 08:57 PM

Good and close match, Haas played better in the important moments and deserved the win. I hope he goes on to win the tournament, but I doubt it.

Exodus

11-03-2006, 08:58 PM

the funny thing is that maybe haas will lose to dominik

martinatreue

11-03-2006, 08:58 PM

how can anyone say Tommy is mediocre. He showed brilliant serving, great touch, great angles, smart tennis, fabulous backhands, some brilliant volleys and lobs, good crosscourt forehands. What tennis match were you watching???

DrJules

11-03-2006, 08:59 PM

Damn you Safin. How could you lose to a mediocre journeyman like Haas.:o

Haas probably played the best tennis of anybody today and Safin would probably of beaten any other player who played today. Haas looked more impressive than any other player, but Davydenko who is yet to lose his serve is very impressive.

Wanted Safin to win, but he lost to a very high quality performance.

Katastrophe

11-03-2006, 08:59 PM

Tommy had motivation to come through, and he did. Good for him, he earned it.

I can't lie and say it isn't frustrating to watch Safin. Being a fan of his is sometimes as rewarding as playing pool with a rope instead of a cue.

Either way, it was a fun ride. Thanks guys. :)

angela

11-03-2006, 08:59 PM

Congratulations Tommy

scoobs

11-03-2006, 08:59 PM

Some terrific play from Tommy who seems to have gone onto one of his good weeks - they seem to come and go at random but when he's on he's an assassin of the highest class.

I predict a Davydenko - Haas final and it should be a goodun :)

Ernham

11-03-2006, 08:59 PM

the funny thing is that maybe haas will lose to dominik

Quit trolling, idiot. haas on a bad day can beat your loser of a hero Safin. Deal with it.

tennisgal_001

11-03-2006, 09:00 PM

the funny thing is that maybe haas will lose to dominik

:lol:
Depressing to even think about it...

Yappa

11-03-2006, 09:05 PM

Hell yeah. Great match from Haas. :)

RonE

11-03-2006, 09:07 PM

Congrats to Tommy :)

Still, all the players I was rooting for today ended up losing. It just wasn't my day :sad:

Ernham

11-03-2006, 09:08 PM

I wouldn't even say that was a good match from Haas. Service game somewhat sub-par to a good performance of his, and his forehand was just terrible. If he gets that forehand "online" and operational, he can steamroll anyone except for Roger.

tangerine_dream

11-03-2006, 09:08 PM

Quit trolling, idiot. haas on a bad day can beat your loser of a hero Safin. Deal with it.
Seriously, who's alias do you belong to?

neenah

11-03-2006, 09:09 PM

Tommy had motivation to come through, and he did. Good for him, he earned it.

I can't lie and say it isn't frustrating to watch Safin. Being a fan of his is sometimes as rewarding as playing pool with a rope instead of a cue.

Either way, it was a fun ride. Thanks guys. :)

:lol:

Marat pulled something together for what I saw of the second set but the third was great for Haas. I had wanted Safin to win of Haas, even though now I predict a Haas/Davydenko final.

Ernham

11-03-2006, 09:11 PM

:lol:

Marat pulled something together for what I saw of the second set but the third was great for Haas. I had wanted Safin to win of Haas, even though now I predict a Haas/Davydenko final.

Wow. You "now predict a haas/davy final". That's pretty bold of you.

Joaquim

11-03-2006, 09:15 PM

Damn you Safin. How could you lose to a mediocre journeyman like Haas.:o
Oh.

Joaquim

11-03-2006, 09:16 PM

Anyway, Tommy :banana:

About damn time to find some form. Keep it up and try to reach the Masters. :)

cmurray

11-03-2006, 09:17 PM

Damn it, marat. there isn't anybody left to cheer for. Sigh.

DrJules

11-03-2006, 09:17 PM

Congrats to Tommy :)

Still, all the players I was rooting for today ended up losing. It just wasn't my day :sad:

At least Safin lost owing to the quality of the Hass play. A number of the others today have themselves to blame for their respective defeats.

disturb3d

11-03-2006, 09:27 PM

Haas can do everything that Safin can do. But better and more frequently.

Ernham

11-03-2006, 09:28 PM

Haas can do everything that Safin can do. But better and more frequently.

Including muttering at himself and throwing things. :lol:

Adler

11-03-2006, 09:32 PM

Haas can do everything that Safin can do. But better and more frequently.
I don't think if the 2nd sentence is true. Haas often loses to some journeymen and is such a wussie as Marat

ReservoirCat

11-03-2006, 09:32 PM

Haas probably played the best tennis of anybody today and Safin would probably of beaten any other player who played today. Haas looked more impressive than any other player, but Davydenko who is yet to lose his serve is very impressive.

Wanted Safin to win, but he lost to a very high quality performance.

Agree with all of your points bar one. The catalogue of errors and the mere handful of outright winners produced on the backhand side do not suggest to me that Safin would necessarily have beaten any other players out there today, especially the winners, as it could not truthfully be said that the rest of his game apart from the service, was in such good order that it could have covered for the inferiority on his strongest wing.

disturb3d

11-03-2006, 09:37 PM

I don't think if the 2nd sentence is true. Haas often loses to some journeymen and is such a wussie as MaratBecause Haas is a complete player, he often comes out trying to dominate every area of the court.
If he can find a 3-shot formula that works best for him, there would be no horrible losses.

Marat has a backhand. He camps on it, and swings at balls. If it's off, he's done for.
There is little in common with the two.

Ernham

11-03-2006, 09:38 PM

I don't think if the 2nd sentence is true. Haas often loses to some journeymen and is such a wussie as Marat

Haas is 4-2 versus Safin.

The HAAS Admirer

11-03-2006, 09:46 PM

Damn you Safin. How could you lose to a mediocre journeyman like Haas.:o
:rolleyes: What is wrong with you. Tommy Haas is a former number two, a Master series winner, Olympic medalist, reached multiple Grandslam SF's, and one of the most talented players(praised by Nick Bollettieri himself), who ultimately never performed to what he was capable of. Plagued by injuries, an accident which almost took both the lives of his parents (his dad was in a 3 week coma), and his mental lapses.:(

After struggling to fulfill his obvious potential, the young German was finally approaching his peak in 2002. He made it No. 2 in the rankings in May of that year, having reached the semifinals of the Australian Open and the final of the Tennis Masters Series event in Rome. His complete game and forceful, elegant one-handed backhand were gathering strength, but one month later, his parents were involved in a serious motorcycle accident in Florida. That left his father, Peter, in a coma for several weeks. Haas received the news from his girlfriend, who was screaming and sobbing into her cell phone after arriving at the scene of the crash. Neither of Haas's parents had been wearing a helmet.
.
Haas took a break from the game to support his family. His shoulder was already bothering him by then; causing him pain in victories as well as defeats, and in December, after he heard a faint pop during a practice serve, he ended his promising but ultimately disastrous year on the operating table. He has not played since and underwent a second surgery in July to break up scar tissue. He no longer has an official ranking, only the protected ranking that will allow him entry into a handful of tournaments before he has to start fending for himself.
.
"Now that I've had a 15-month layoff, I'm looking at this as my second career," Haas said in a telephone interview from California. "I reached some things in my first career that I'm really proud of, but there are still a few that I want to achieve or try to achieve in my second one. But I'm going to have to be patient with myself."
For much of the last 15 months, Haas could be found in Florida. at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, which is now owned and operated by International Management Group. The Academy has been Haas's home base since he was 11. That was when he and his Austrian father decided that Tommy should opt out of the centralized German system that had produced Boris Becker and Michael Stich and join the more atomized American system that had produced Andre Agassi and Jim Courier. - Haas still has a slight German accent when he speaks English in his baritone voice, but he is a fully assimilated Floridian. Though he was unable to play competitive tennis in 2003, he still competed: plunging into advanced yoga and playing basketball with NBA players such as Chauncy Billups, a Detroit guard, and Al Harrington, an Indiana forward. ''During the summer, we had 40 NBA players down there practicing, so Tommy was doing the drills with some of those guys and working with their trainer,'' said his coach, David ''Red'' Ayme. ''He took a nontraditional approach to his time off from tennis. Once we saw what we were facing and what kind of rehab was involved, we talked about doing some other things you just couldn't do when you were playing. He used his year and two months to try to become a better athlete.'' He also used it to spend time with his parents. ''They are doing better,'' he said. ''They came to visit me in Florida. They are obviously struggling with some things. My Dad's right leg is pretty messed up, and he loves sports, so he is trying everything he can to still do the things he loves. He tries to play tennis, though he can't really move that well. Mom's shoulder is pretty bad. She can barely lift her right arm, but overall, if you think about what could have happened in this kind of accident, they have recovered really well.'' Haas won't be content until he is back in the mix at the top of the game. It won't be easy. He might be a much better basketball player than he was in 2002, but Federer, Roddick and Juan Carlos Ferrero are better tennis players than they were in 2002. Safin was able to roar back from an injury break, but his layoff was not nearly as long as Haas's. It's a long road back to No. 2; maybe too arduous a road, but Haas, who only resumed serving at full speed in late November, is eager to start the journey. ''He can be terribly tough on himself,'' Ayme said. ''I think he's just as crazy as ever. He's a good guy on the court but a crazy guy on it. But he wants this, and I really think he'll get there.'' Tennis has been transformed into a comeback tale.

Obviously this article was from a while ago, Tommy came back and eventually ended up getting injured again, but now he really has a chance to shine, if he can just win two more matches and take the title here.:worship: He has been on a long journey since 2002, comebacks, more injuries, mental lapses.
2006 has been his best year in a long while and hopefully there will be light in the end of the tunnel of this long running comeback.

Safin_Lova

11-03-2006, 09:52 PM

Haas is 4-2 versus Safin.

You are right, theoretically and statistically, but really know, what kind of year has marat been having?
Pretty bad, so its understandable that he lost .'So his head to head against haas is negative, but there are reasons for that, his had a tough year, besides on his good years when he played haas , yes there matches were always close, but marat always found a way to win, this year just was not his year in many ways. His head to head is that way against hass because haas played marat not really at his best and in a stuggling year.

WF4EVER

11-03-2006, 09:59 PM

Well, just when I thought James might have a chance to get in Haas shows up playing like damn demon. Where the hell has he been since the beginning of the year, anyway?

enqvistfan

11-03-2006, 10:13 PM

Congratulations Tommy !!!!!
I've just came back from the match, was a pleasant match to watch comparing to the other quarters (a bit boring esp. the two last ones before Tommy/Safin).
Sad for Marat but deserved for Tommy. He's playing better and better each day. Wish him all the best tomorrow, I'll be there :)

Yappa

11-03-2006, 10:16 PM

Congratulations Tommy !!!!!
I've just came back from the match, was a pleasant match to watch comparing to the other quarters (a bit boring esp. the two last ones before Tommy/Safin).
Sad for Marat but deserved for Tommy. He's playing better and better each day. Wish him all the best tomorrow, I'll be there :)

Do you have some more of those videos of yours to share? :)

enqvistfan

11-03-2006, 10:18 PM

Do you have some more of those videos of yours to share? :)

Yes, I recorded one tonight, but think I'll upload it tomorrow, I also have the one of yesterday to upload :)

Yappa

11-03-2006, 10:19 PM

Yes, I recorded one tonight, but think I'll upload it tomorrow, I also have the one of yesterday to upload :)

thx, looking forward to it. :yeah:

rmb6687

11-03-2006, 10:33 PM

I didn't get to watch the match at all...can someone describe the play from both marat and tommy?

I like tommy, and if it gets him to the Masters, then all the best there. He is one of the few players that will probably qualify that I'd would actually root for, regardless of who he was playing against.

idolwatcher1

11-03-2006, 10:34 PM

how can anyone say Tommy is mediocre. He showed brilliant serving, great touch, great angles, smart tennis, fabulous backhands, some brilliant volleys and lobs, good crosscourt forehands. What tennis match were you watching???
unfortunately, many posters on MTF make such comments without seeing any actual tennis from either player :o ... the ones who do actually see the matches and make such comments anyway, are usually just emotionally driven to tear down a player that they have opted not to like for whatever reason, however pathetic (losing a bet, holding a personal grudge, ignorance, etc, etc.) ;)

henree

11-03-2006, 10:34 PM

[QUOTE=The HAAS Admirer;4403145]:rolleyes: (What is wrong with you. Tommy Haas is a former number two, a Master series winner, Olympic medalist,)Snip...
Until he wins a slam, he is a journeyman.:wavey:

enqvistfan

11-03-2006, 10:36 PM

[QUOTE=The HAAS Admirer;4403145]:rolleyes: (What is wrong with you. Tommy Haas is a former number two, a Master series winner, Olympic medalist,)Snip...
Until he wins a slam, he is a journeyman.:wavey:

According to you, most of the players are journeymen, pathetic, you should take a racquet and play instead of Haas.

wow well done Tommy ;) Shame for Marat but great comeback from losing a set :)

Boris Franz Ecker

11-03-2006, 10:41 PM

[QUOTE=The HAAS Admirer;4403145]:rolleyes: (What is wrong with you. Tommy Haas is a former number two, a Master series winner, Olympic medalist,)Snip...
Until he wins a slam, he is a journeyman.:wavey:

Yes, because not many won a GS. Henree must be a fan of Federer or Nadal :lol:

Fergie

11-03-2006, 10:53 PM

Marat :sad:

henree

11-03-2006, 10:54 PM

I am realy really sorry Haas fans. I just got so wrapped up in Safin getting a top 24 seed for next years Aussie open. It has been a devastating year for Safin. So I was a little emotional. Haas is a fantastic player whom I like very much. I was just venting my frustrations.:D

Gulliver

11-03-2006, 10:55 PM

Any one else feel that Safin is past his prime now and no longer a real threat for a big title, much as some would like to think otherwise?

rmb6687

11-03-2006, 10:56 PM

I am realy really sorry Haas fans. I just got so wrapped up in Safin getting a top 24 seed for next years Aussie open. It has been a devastating year for Safin. So I was a little emotional. Haas is a fantastic player whom I like very much. I was just venting my frustrations.:D

argh...I know, that would have been awesome. Oh well.

Ernham

11-03-2006, 10:56 PM

Yes, because not many won a GS. Henree must be a fan of Federer or Nadal :lol:

No. Looks like he/she/it was a bitter Safin and Blake fan. Look at "its" recent history. My favorite was the comment " I have to go with Safin on this one...Haas hasn't had very difficult competition leading up to the qtrs."

I guess a bye is harder than Blake.

leng jai

11-03-2006, 10:56 PM

Some people on this forum are really ridiculous sometimes... Tommy Haas journeyman? Maybe I overrate him sometimes but calling him a journeyman is just clueless. Yeah lets call one of the few all court players in the game a journeymen...

Anyway good match it seems going by the scoreline. Though Tommy is my favourite I also appreciate Safin a lot. Hopefully someone uploads this match, love seeing these two going at each other with backhands.

Jogy

11-03-2006, 11:00 PM

Great result Tommy! :yeah: Glad he ends year with good tournament! :)

but I think he will loosing to stupid Davydenko
and Hrbaty also difficult

Ernham

11-03-2006, 11:00 PM

Some people on this forum are really ridiculous sometimes... Tommy Haas journeyman? Maybe I overrate him sometimes but calling him a journeyman is just clueless. Yeah lets call one of the few all court players in the game a journeymen...

Anyway good match it seems going by the scoreline. Though Tommy is my favourite I also appreciate Safin a lot. Hopefully someone uploads this match, love seeing these two going at each other with backhands.

Ya. The backhand really was key for Tommy in this one. Last stat I saw on his forehand was like 3 winners and 20 unforced errors....:eek:

leng jai

11-03-2006, 11:02 PM

Tommy's forehand is so random. Some matches he just hits some awesome winners, then the next its completely off. Case in point, US Open match against Davydenko this year. Hitting his forehand merely okay, and then in the fifth set he just starts smashing winners off it when it was looking pretty grim.

TMJordan

11-03-2006, 11:10 PM

I am realy really sorry Haas fans. I just got so wrapped up in Safin getting a top 24 seed for next years Aussie open. It has been a devastating year for Safin. So I was a little emotional. Haas is a fantastic player whom I like very much. I was just venting my frustrations.:D

I know how you feal, really wanted Marat to win Bercy, but we must move on Haas just had Marats number this year.

Lets look forward to 2007-the year of the hippo :D

lordmanji

11-03-2006, 11:38 PM

my definition of "journeyman" is someone outside the top 50, has struggled for years to actually get there, is above 24 years old, and has not been inside top 50 at all. Haas is definitely not a journeyman.

Safin_Lova

11-04-2006, 12:27 AM

Any one else feel that Safin is past his prime now and no longer a real threat for a big title, much as some would like to think otherwise?

Does one bad year mean that a player is past their prime to you?
I dont mean to sound mean, but you shouldny say that because he could surprise everyone next year, he had a very bad year with heaps of injury problems and struggles with confidence.

bpt7

11-04-2006, 12:44 AM

well done Hasi. now please win the whole thing....i want to see you in shanghai :) :p :)

gogogirl

11-04-2006, 01:31 AM

Hey All,

I like them both - but favor Marat more. But before I go on - I must say that over all - I am just a tennis fan - and enjoy the game period.

I was sort of pulling for Marat - because of the Blake angle - but by this point - I already know - what will be will be. If Haas wins it all then good on him - for he will have deserved it. I told y'all Tommy is on like a tight drum - and he's on some sort of mission. It all seems to be coming together for him - and one way we can tell is when one holds his/her own. There were no break points in the first set. Those two were protecting their own. And just like my favorite play of all time is the serve out wide - short in the box - and it matters not whether it comes in as a slider or slice - the ability for one to hold their own serve is the bomb.

If Tommy wins it all - I will be happy for him. May the best in form player win the whole damn thing - Blake or no Blake (If it's Tommy). James will then be an alternate.

haas played great. congratulations! :yeah:
i hate it when marat loses like that. but then i realize that i would never love him so much if he was like the others. so marat, lets forget the awful year and focus on the new season! :)

fadou

11-04-2006, 11:24 AM

sad day for the bercy winners :sad: :sad:

Alexiana

11-04-2006, 03:03 PM

wow, Tommy really found his way so far in Paris. I was thinking he would beat Marat, but it wasn't easy. Hopefully he will defeat Hrbaty. I am a little afraid of the possible Davydenko match. Maybe tie for revenge. But first he has to reach the final